As COVID19 is prolonged, more people are suffering from Corona Blue*. In such a time like this, there are people who are helping others to overcome the difficulties in daily life through volunteer activities and talent donation, and one of them is Lee Su-hyun, the “Warm-Hearted Man” of SK IE Technology.

Lee Su-hyun is working at SK IE Technology, a subsidiary of SK Innovation, as a member of ESG Unit. He is not only devoted to his work but also spending his free time to support colleagues and neighbors around. Let’s meet him to know why he is called the “Warm-Hearted Man” of the company.

*Corona Blue: combined word of “Corona virus” and “blue”, referred to the anxiety and depression amid COVID-19 due to social distancing, limited outdoor activities, irregular living patterns, etc.

Q1. Nice to meet you. First, please introduce yourself briefly.

Hi, I am Lee Su-hyun in charge of SKMS (SK Management System), at the ESG Unit of SK IE Technology. Our mission is to create more happy values for our company’s members, the stakeholders, neighbors, and society.

Q2. Many members in our company call you the “Warm-Hearted Man” who is very active in social contribution activities. Among them, could you share with us an unforgettable experience?

It’s quite embarrassing to talk about this nickname by myself but thank you all for calling me that. I have many unforgettable memories while participating in CSR activities, but let me share with you one of the most recent experience I had.

Last year, when COVID-19 hit Korea, everyone, including our company’s members, had a tough time. During such a time, the vulnerable people, like elderly living alone, have to face even more difficulties due to the shutdown of welfare facilities and limited caring services. As volunteers, it is also hard for us to visit and help them in person, so my heart got heavier.

I remembered that before COVID-19, I had visited an elderly‘s home while taking part in our company’s regular CSR program and witnessed a scene that made me feel really worried. In the small room, the elderly’s rice cooker was broken and electric wire came out but it was just wrapped in duct tape. So I bought a new rice cooker for the elderly and delivered it through the welfare center.

In May last year, I participated in the recording of a special video to support the elderly living alone on behalf of the company amid the pandemic. The video went viral and received positive reactions in and outside our company, so more people recognized me and called me the
“Warm-Hearted Man.” I’m so flattered, but thank you for supporting me.

▲ Lee Su-hyun appeared in the “Social distancing, but let’s keep our hearts close” video released by SK Innovation last year. The video received the Korean Minister of the Interior and Safety’s Award at the “2020 Partnering Corporations Award & CSR Film Festival”.

Q3. We heard that you also have good massage skill so the seniors really like you?

Yes I have a National Foot Massage Certificate. When I was practicing judo, another hobby of mine, I have seen many people having a cramp while exercising. Whenever someone around me had a cramp, I used acupressure to help them and they said it helped them feel better. Then the judo instructor told me that I have big hands and the pressure (power) I can generate from my hands are strong, so I could be good at Meridian massage. His suggestion motivated me to learn the skills, and after a while I managed to get a Foot Massage Certificate.

I applied this skill to help the elderly living alone and children at the nursery school massage their feet. They really enjoyed it. In particular, I often visited elderly people who suffer from joint or back pains, and I was happy to hear that their knees and waists condition improved after my massage. I hope I can apply this skills more often after the pandemic ends.

▲ Lee Su-hyun showed his Foot Massage Certificate.

Q4. You even cook for other members in our company, right?

When the kitchen room was open in our office building in 2019, I cooked kimchi fried rice and omelette rice for my colleagues there about 8 times. Those are simple dishes but we enjoyed the food together and had a lot of conversations while eating there. I was happy when my colleagues told me they had good memories with me. Because of the current situation, we are unable to gather like before so I hope the day when I can go there and have meals with my colleagues will come (back) soon.

▲ Lee Su-hyun sometimes cooked in the company and invited colleagues to enjoy the food with him.

Q5. What are your future goals?

SK Innovation is making a lot of effort to take care of company members’ hearts and minds through the “Social Safety Net.” As a staff in charge of SKMS, I’m trying to listen to more stories shared by the members and continue to find out what else I can do to bring happiness to people around me.

Q6. Is there any other message that you want to deliver to our members?

“Everything in the world changes.”

This is a sentence written in the first chapter of Laozi’s Tao Te Ching, an ancient Chinese book I read a while ago. It means that you don’t have to be afraid because everything changes. I think many people are feeling anxious and insecure, especially due to the recent COVID-19. But as Laozi said, “all things change,” so let’s just embrace even the instability coming from changes and keep doing what we are responsible for, then in the end we will overcome the hardship and find peace in our minds.